Overcoming a significant pain barrier, pacer Shamar Joseph propelled West Indies to a first Test win in Australia in 27 years with a seven-wicket haul in Brisbane on Sunday.
Playing just his second Test, Joseph was forced to retire hurt in the third innings after he was struck on his right foot by a searing yorker from Mitchell Starc.
But, the 24-year-old pacer bounced back to bowl a relentless nearly 12-over spell, taking seven wickets in the process, to gift West Indies a priceless win at the Gabba.
Born in Baracara, a tiny community in Guayana, Joseph picked up cricket late into his childhood. In fact, the right-arm pacer made his First-Class debut only in February, 2023.
Joseph’s meteoric rise seemed to have reached its pinnacle earlier this month, when he picked up a fifer in his debut Test innings, against Australia in Adelaide, in what was only his 10th senior appearance.
He caught the attention of the cricketing world by getting a wicket off his first delivery in international cricket, snaring the prized scalp of the newly anointed Aussie opener Steve Smith.
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But he outdid himself at Gabba, employing his rapid pace to hurry the home batters. Joseph bowled unchanged from one end, to end with a seven-for to guide his side to a historic win.
Fittingly, it was Joseph who landed the final blow in an epic contest, with the pacer uprooting the off-stump of Aussie tailender Josh Hazlewood.
“I wasn’t even going to come to the ground today. But the doctor did something to my toe. I don’t know what he did. But it worked. I just stuck to the basics. Stuck to the top of off. I feel like we win the entire series by winning this Test. Shout out to my teammates for their support. I cried for my five-wicket haul but I’m so happy now. I’m not even tired. I would have kept bowling,” said Joseph after the match.
West Indies’ skipper Kraigg Brathwaite was profusive in his praise for his match-winner. “I knew I had Shamar probably an hour before play. The doctor said he got an injection and he’s quite good and then he told me he’s going to do it. I had to back him. He’s a superstar and I know he’ll do great things for West Indies in the future. Just his belief. It’s a great example for this team to follow.”
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